ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum DPP8 and Lactobacillus acidophilus C7282 in feed supplementation on growth performance, Salmonella invasion, inflammation, and mediating signaling in broilers infected with Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). A total of 240 broilers at day old were randomly allocated into four groups, orally infected with S. Typhimurium and supplemented with individual or combined Lactobacilli DPP8 and C7282 at doses of 0 (control), 1010 (individual), or 2.0 × 1010 (combination) cfu/kg of diet for 21 d. The results showed that supplementing Lactobacilli improved (p<0.05) feed intake and body weight gain and decreased (p<0.05) S. Typhimurium load in the caecum, harder gland, spleen and bursa of Fabricius. Also, the supplements decreased (p<0.05) interleukin (1β/2/4), tumor necrosis factor α and interferon γ in the serum, enhanced (p<0.05) interleukin 10, and downregulated gene expressions of inflammatory mediators including Janus kinase (Jak2/3), signal transducer and activator of transcription protein (STAT3/4/5/6) in the intestinal mucosa. In contrast, diets containing DPP8 exhibited greater effects on the inhibition of the pathogen and inflammatory response than C7282. The obtained data suggest that Lactobacilli C7282 and DPP8 can be used as feed additives to inhibit colonization and translocation of S. Typhimurium and inflammatory responses via downregulating Jak/STAT signaling in broilers.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on egg production, yolk components, cholesterol metabolism, and enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in hens. Four treatment diets included a control and LAB added at 3 × 105 (low), 3 × 107 (medium), or 3 × 109 (high) cfu/kg. The treatment LAB contained equal amounts of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Enterococcus faecium. Results showed that high LAB increased (p<0.05) laying rate, egg mass, and yolk phospholipid, but decreased (p<0.05) yolk triglyceride and phosvitin. Diets with LAB decreased (p<0.05) yolk and serum cholesterol content, and serum bile acid by 9.3 to 39.9%. In liver, high LAB downregulated (p<0.05) mRNA expression of serine/threonine kinase 11 (STK11), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR), AMP-activated protein kinase catalytic subunit (PRKAA1, 2), and protein phosphatase catalytic subunits (PPP2CA, PPP2CB and PPP3CA) by 49.5 to 175.4%. In mucosa, high LAB downregulated (p<0.05) PRKAA1 and HMGR by 68.2 and 69.6%, respectively; but upregulated (p<0.05) PPP2CA and PPP2CB by 51.2 and 45%, respectively. Linear decreasing (p≤0.035) responses to LAB doses were found on cholesterol, phosvitin, bile acid, and hepatic gene expressions, and quadratic (p≤0.006) effects on yolk cholesterol and hepatic STK11. It is concluded that probiotic LAB can improve yolk components and decrease hepatic cholesterol synthesis by regulating HMGR pathway in hens.

ABSTRACT This study aimed at investigating the effects of broccoli residues fermented with probiotics (BF) on the growth performance, immunity, and gut health in broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens). A total of 600 broilers (one day old) were randomly allotted into five treatments with six replicates of 20 birds each and were reared until 42 days of age. The treatments included a positive control (PC, fed a basal diet and reared on uncontaminated litter), a negative control (NC, birds reared on litter contaminated with C. perfringens and fed a basal diet), and NC plus BF at 25, 50 or 75 g/kg of diet. The BF contained yeast 3.1 × 107cfu/g, lactic acid bacteria 9.5 × 106cfu/g and Bacillus subtilis 3.5 × 106cfu/g. Birds in the NC group showed lower (p<0.05) feed intake and body weight gain, whereas BF supplementation recovered (p<0.05) the growth performance to the levels of PC group. Dietary BF at 50and 75 g/kg reduced (p<0.05) broiler mortality. Similarly, compared to the NC group, BF increased (p<0.05) immune organ weights and serum immunoglobulins A, G, and M to the levels of PC group. The ileal populations of Escherichia coli and Gram-negative bacteria were decreased (p<0.05) by BF to the levels of PC, and C. perfringens was also decreased (p<0.05) by BF. The serum profiles of mono- and di-amine oxidase were decreased (p<0.05) by BF. BF at 75 g/kg reduced (p<0.05) monoamine oxidase compared with the other BF doses. The results suggest that broccoli residues fermented with probiotics can be a novel biological feed additive to protect the performance and health of broilers against C. perfringens infection.

ABSTRACTHMOX1 is an important gene in biosynthesis of the eggshell pigment of blue eggs. Previous studies found that HMOX1 is highly expressed in the shell gland of hens laying blue eggs (BlueH) compared with hens laying brown eggs (BrownH); however, the reasons for the differential expression are unclear. In this study five single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in HMOX1 were genotyped in 111 BlueH and 115 BrownH. The association of haplotypes of these SNP with the blue egg phenotype was tested. Haplotype-specific expression of HMOX1 was detected in the shell gland. The interaction of sequence variants and transcription factors was analyzed using electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). A TG haplotype covering upstream 1.4 kb region of HMOX1 was significantly associated with blue eggs (p<0.05). Furthermore, the birds (n=12) with the haplotype expressed 3.8 fold more transcripts than those (n=12) without the haplotype (p<0.05). After re-sequencing a 2.2 kb region harboring the TG haplotype, a total of 26 SNP were found, of which a SNP was predicted to create a binding site of Nrf2, a transcription factor initiating HMOX1 expression. However, subsequent EMSA failed to confirm the Nrf2-DNA interaction. Taken together, the data suggested that the TG haplotype is not directly involved in regulation of HMOX1 expression; a regulatory mutation located near the haplotype and linked with the haplotype may exist and be responsible for the differential expression ofHMOX1.